Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



P. ALTMAIR. Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patented July 12, 1859',

VViTuesses g N. PETERS. PHOTO NrTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER ALTMAIR, OF LEWISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND MYRON M. FAXON, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 24.774, dated .luly 12, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER ALTMAIR, of Lewistown, in the county of Mifflin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BreechLoading Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of a gun constructed after my plan. Fig. 2 represents a partial section through the same with the breech opened for the receipt of the charge, and Fig. 3 represents the lock or latch for fastening the barrel and, breech in line previous to discharging the piece.

Similar letters of reference, where they occur in the separate figures, denote like parts in all the figures.

Many contrivances have been devised for gaining access to the breech-piece for the purpose of introducing the cartridge or charge, and among them may be found a hinged or pivoted barrel that swings upward at its rear end, as also a hinged breechpiece that swings either way from a fixed barrel.

My invention consists in combining with a fixed breech-piece a hinged barrel that swings upward at the muzzle, so as to insert the cartridge below the barrel into said breech-piece.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to dethe same with reference to the drawings.

A represents the stock of the gun, to which ter is at a, and thus, as shown in Fig. 2, afford easy access to the chamber of the breech-piece, into which the cartridge or charge is intro; duced. There are shoulders 1 2 3 on the breechpiece, against which similar shoulders on the barrelv fit when it is let down, and thus form a long brokenjoint connection between the two.

I) is a latch on the under side of the breechpiece, and c a catch on the under side of the barrel, which, when let down, is caught by a latch, and thus forms a firm connection beat is a rod, actuated by the hammer E, for

running up the wafer, pellet, or other thing used for igniting the charge, said wafers, 850., being raised up from a magazine by a spring in the usual way.

If found desirable, a small vent-hole, e, ma be made through the barrel for a gas-vent, and. though such vent may allow some of the force of the charge to be lost, yet it is so immaterial a portion as not in practice to be injurious.

The advantage of thus hinging the barrel to the breech-piece is that it brings the piece in its most favorable and convenient position for being ,charged with the right, while it is grasped with the left, hand.

Having thus fully described the nature and object of my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

In combination with a fixed breechpiece, a hinged barrel so arranged as that the said barrel shall swing upward and expose the chamber of the breech-piece below the rear end of the barrel for inserting the charge, substantially as herein described and represented.

PETER ALTMAIR.

Witnesses: JOHN KULP,

DAVID WASSON. 

